Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation providers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to require a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes following NSFAS been given experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment in an effort to get usage of the permitted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of the obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement among the personal accommodation providers and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will probably be paid out month to month to the accommodation service provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation suppliers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or some other sorts of payment on the lessor, or some other person in connection with this arrangement, which includes payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse versus the lessee for any default while in the payment of here rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from check here an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar will not be chargeable for payment of any arrear get more info rent towards the accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS described that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student is going to be chargeable for payment of rent for the lessor from your date of staying defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due nsfas student document submission deadline to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of more info NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za